Ontario's minimum wage is about to increase again next month

Ontario workers earning minimum wage are about to get another pay bump, as the province's general minimum wage is set to increase once again in just a few weeks.

Starting Oct. 1, 2026, Ontario's general minimum wage will increase by 35 cents from $17.60 to $17.95 per hour, an increase announced by the provincial government back in April, tied to a 1.9 per cent increase in Ontario's Consumer Price Index.

"Ontario workers are the engine of this province," said David Piccini, Minister of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development. "By raising the minimum wage to one of the highest in Canada, our government is putting more money in the pockets of Ontario workers, supporting families through economic uncertainty and giving businesses the stability and predictability they need to plan and grow."

So, how much more can workers actually expect to earn? For someone who's earning the general minimum wage and working 40 hours a week, the increase works out to an additional $14 per week, or approximately $728 more per year before taxes.

Ontario's minimum wage is routinely adjusted every October based on the Ontario Consumer Price Index, as required under the Employment Standards Act, 2000. The province says that approximately 25 per cent of minimum-wage workers are employed in retail trade, while another 24 per cent work in accommodation and food services.

Also increasing on Oct. 1 is the province's student minimum wage, which will rise from $16.60 to $16.90 per hour. This rate specifically applies to students under 18 who work 28 hours a week or less while school is in session, or who work during a school break or summer holidays.

Ontario's new $17.95 minimum wage will remain among the highest provincial wages in Canada. For comparison, British Columbia's minimum wage is currently $18.25 an hour, while Manitoba's is $16.40. Nova Scotia's minimum wage is set to increase to $17 this October, while Prince Edward Island's will rise to $17.30.

The federal minimum wage, which applies to workers in federally regulated private-sector workplaces, also increased to $18.15 in April and is adjusted annually based on Canada's average Consumer Price Index.

The new rate represents an increase of 21 per cent since the introduction of the standalone federal minimum wage back in 2021.